WIYY

'WIYY' (97.9 MHz.) is an FM radio station in Baltimore, Maryland, owned by the Hearst Corporation. WIYY broadcasts an Album Oriented Rock/Active Rock format that mixes music popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres. Known by the brand moniker '"98Rock"', WIYY has broadcasted in this format since 1977.
WIYY shares a facility with sister stations WBAL (1090 AM) and WBAL-TV (channel 11) on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore. Hearst-Argyle Television manages the two radio stations corporately. WIYY and WBAL are the only two radio stations owned by the Hearst Corporation.

Contents

History

Personalities

Local music

Podcasting

HD Radio

External links

History

The 97.9 frequency in Baltimore began as 'WMAR-FM', owned by the A.S. Abell Company, publishers of the ''Baltimore Sun'' and founders of WMAR-TV, Baltimore's first television station. Abell later sold the radio station, and the new owners changed its call letters to 'WFDS-FM' and adopted a classical music format. The Hearst Corporation became the next owners of the frequency and retained classical music originally, while renaming it 'WBAL-FM'. The calls changed to the current 'WIYY' in middle 1970s when NBC started the ill-fated 24 hour national radio "News and Information Network". After about a year of all-news and no ratings, WIYY became "98Rock". 98Rock celebrated its 30th year of its rock format on March 28, 2007.

Personalities

As of October 30, 2006, mornings feature Mickey and Amelia with newsman Josh Spiegel. Longtime Baltimore morning radio personalities Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko left the company and started on WHFS 105.7 FM on February 1, 2007, taking over for the Sports Junkies.
Former Newsman R. Edward Lopez died of lung cancer on 22 May 2005 at the age of 52. Lopez held the national record for longest tenure for a news man at a rock station. Jon Lieberman had been filling in for him during his illness. KML, as the morning team was known, has released a number of parody CDs. They are known for their interest in and knowledge of the local area. They briefly called it the "98Rock Morning Show" presently out of respect for Lopez. On August 22, 2005, the 98Rock Morning Show became "98Rock Morning Radio" and was joined by Spiegel, a former news commentator for Big O and Dukes and a 20-year radio veteran.
Sarah Fleischer follows from 10-3 daily; her shift includes the classic request Hair Ball hour. She is also the only personality who has worked at the station from its debut as 98Rock in 1977.

"Stash" (Steve Ash/Smith) is currently the afternoon show DJ, though he has worked just about every shift in his long tenure at 98Rock. He detests motorcycle sidecars and is knowledgeable about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Stash is joined by producer Steph (former KML and KMS producer).
There has been no regular night show since Stash moved from nights to the afternoon slot formerly occupied by Mickey and Amelia. Currently nights feature one or a combination of Dee, Short Bus Don Koenig, and Matt Davis. That will change when "Irresponsible Radio: Theo and Joe" debuts September of 2007. The nightly show will run Monday through Friday from 7PM-Midnight. It features morning show regular and local comedian Joe Robinsonand Champaign/Urbana, Illinois DJ "Theo" moving from 93.5 The Rock.

On March 28, 2007 98Rock celebrated its 30th birthday for being in the same market, the same format and same ownership, which is a rarity for not only a radio station, but especially a rock station.
WIYY currently broadcasts the Baltimore Ravens games. Stash co-hosts the "Ravens' Last Call" Sunday post-game show with Joe Robinson

Local music

98Rock supports local musical acts. Every Sunday from 11pm to midnight, the station broadcasts a show called "Noise In The Basement" which bills itself as providing air-time to the best performers in the Baltimore area. Noise in the Basement is hosted by Matt Davis.
Additionally, DJs will often invite local artists (and comedians) into the studio to chat about their music, upcoming shows or just to talk about whatever they want to (politics, religion, food, etc). Kelly Bell of the Baltimore-based Kelly Bell Band was a frequent guest on the KML/98 Rock Morning Show and now can be heard on the former afternoon-drive, current morning drive "Mickey and Amelia" show. Local artist Mary Prankster has also been a featured guest.

Podcasting

As of September 2005, 98 Rock is podcasting portions of its talk shows.

HD Radio

98Rock offers two separate HD channels. HD2 will offer classic rock under the name "Classic 98Rock" and HD3 will offer independent rock under the name "Indie 97.9". Web streams for the HD channels are available on their respective websites.

External links

★ 98Rock Website

★ Classic 98Rock Website (HD2)

★ Indie 97.9 Website (HD3)

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